When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Looks like a delamination or separation to me. Might be worth a note to Dunlop to see what they say. Good thing it was tire time, that may not have ended well, especially being a front tire.
Mark, to me that looks like external force damage. The fact it is very symmetrical and appears almost cleaved is telling to me. I can't possibly imagine a 'natural' carcass failure producing that type of appearance. But then again....never say 'never'. Great lesson on the need to lift a bike regularly and do a full rotational visual inspection of tires. That could've been disastrous if it failed at any highway speed. I do know one thing absolutely. You can run over a very unnoticed or unsubstantial object or hazard and produce mc tire damage without awareness. I once hit an object which was small and not seen, but was felt. It damaged both tires with the rear tire having a ragged hole that 3 truck tire plugs wouldn't fill. How small was the object? I'll never know. I walked back with my wife and we searched the exact area for half an hour looking for anything...and found nothing.
I now visually inspect tires with every oil change or inflation. Literally too much riding on them to take a chance.
I can't necessarily say I ever liked the oem HD Dunlops. Just had issues. My Dunlop AE and AE2 tires have been nothing but excellent in terms of wear, performance and reliability.
....and now I'm going to go find some wood to knock on.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
What would cause this Front Tire failure?
